Residents breathed a sigh of relief today after a group of new age travellers were moved off an unofficial site close to homes and a school.

Families who live in caravans began moving on to the fenced-off site near Gateshead town centre 12 days ago.

The site in Lindisfarne Drive is behind the former Pilkington glassworks and is privately owned. Residents in Cathedral Court and other blocks of maisonettes nearby were upset and complained to the town council and the police. A council official accompanied by a police officer visited the site and counted 15 caravans and a number of vans.

The families were warned legal action would be taken to get them off the site.

At Gateshead county court this week the site owners were granted a repossession order.

Bailiffs went to the site yesterday and ordered the dwellers to leave.

The families began moving off without causing problems and by lunchtime the site was empty.

Two bailiffs remained at the entrance for the rest of the day, preventing families who were away for the day returning to the site.

A council spokesman said the families moved to the town from a site in Houghton-le-Spring.